Thursday, October 24, 2013

Treat Cocaine Withdrawal

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant. When long-term use or a binge ends, the user may experience cocaine withdrawal. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cocaine withdrawal is not accompanied by physical symptoms, such as vomiting and tremors, that may occur during alcohol or opiate withdrawal. Cocaine withdrawal typically begins with a "crash" marked by a strong craving for more cocaine. Other symptoms may include anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Treating the withdrawal from cocaine is a primary component of cocaine addiction treatment.

Instructions

1. Seek inpatient treatment. If your withdrawal symptoms are severe, a stay at a therapeutic community or a residential addiction treatment center can provide a safe, supervised, drug-free environment in which to cope with cocaine withdrawal. Inpatient care will help prevent you from relapsing because of your craving for cocaine. Not everyone experiencing cocaine withdrawal will require inpatient care.

2. Participate in outpatient therapy. According to research sponsored by the NIH, outpatient therapy is just as effective as inpatient care for treating most cases of cocaine addiction. There are many types of outpatient therapy programs. Cognitive behavioral therapy may help you adapt new, drug-free patterns of behavior. Contingency management is a type of therapy that provides voucher-based rewards for remaining involved in a treatment program and continued abstinence from cocaine and other drugs. Individual counseling, as well as group counseling, can help you overcome cocaine withdrawal.

3. Consult a doctor about obtaining a prescription. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there is no medication for the specific treatment of cocaine addiction; however, research funded by the NIDA suggests that those experiencing acute cocaine withdrawal may be treated with propranolol, a blood pressure medication. Propranolol may reduce anxiety and diminish cravings for cocaine. According to Drug-Rehab.com, disulfiram, a drug sometimes used in the treatment of alcoholism may be effective for treating cocaine withdrawal. Antidepressants may help you deal with mood disturbances caused by withdrawal. According to AddictionRcoveryGuide.org, benzodiazepines, such as Valium, have been used to ease the anxiety of withdrawal, and bromocriptine may reduce cravings and reduce mood disturbances. Research funded by the NIDA and the NIH in 2002 suggests that n-acetyl cysteine, a drug used to treat cystic fibrosis, may diminish cravings for cocaine. According to a study published in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" in 2000, amantadine may effectively treat severe cocaine withdrawal symptoms by increasing dopamine production in the brain.

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